Golf tip of the week: Relax both the arms and hands

RICK MUSSELMAN

For The Sun-Gazette

PHOTO PROVIDED
Grip wear under the thumbs is an indication you are gripping too tight.

Golfers and non-golfers alike ask me, “what is the most common mistake amateur golfers make?” The answer is they grip the club too tight.

I write about this regularly, tension in the arms and hands ruin most golfer’s full potential of being a good golfer.

If the hands and arms are relaxed, the club will remain in its natural plane. Too much tension will cause the golfer to guide the club and force it out of its natural orbit. Take the club back relaxed enough to feel the club’s weight on the left thumb at the top of the backswing (right thumb for the left-hand golfer).

The golf club should rotate around the body similar to a weight on a string moving in a circle around your hand; momentum will create the natural arc.